These essential hosting tips for when you have company over will help you to make an impression every time you welcome guests.
Whether it’s for a dinner party, a summer BBQ or a festive lunch, having people over always comes with a whole list of things to do - and can lead to a lot of stress, hosting mishaps and unhappy guests if not done right.
From something so small as preparing drinks garnishes to important considerations like keeping a first aid kit handy, these tips will help you play the host role perfectly every time you have company over to your home.
32 essential hosting tips for when you have company over
1. Prepare a welcome drink
Make your guests feel special by giving them the VIP treatment and having a special drink ready when they arrive. If you’re serving alcohol, it’s always a good idea to have a non-alcoholic version of whatever you’re serving too, so that people have a choice. Make sure you also have some water ready for those who might have had a long journey.
2. Put a scent by the entrance
Make your home seem luxurious by putting your nicest scent by the front door to welcome your guests when they arrive. As it’s the first impression they’ll get when they arrive, they’ll likely also associate your home with that indulgent scent whenever they think back to their visit.
3. Have some warm lighting by the entrance
Add a cosy and comforting feel to your home by keeping some warm lighting by your entrance, so that it evokes a safe and warm feeling in your guests when they arrive at your house. Avoid harsh overhead lighting and instead opt for soft lamp lighting.
4. Invest in a wine preserver
If you’re planning to serve wine when your guests come over, it could be worth getting hold of a wine preserver beforehand to make sure that none of your good stuff goes to waste. This way you don’t have to worry about another bottle when perhaps someone wants another glass towards the end of the evening, as you can close up the bottle safely and save it for another day.
5. Use scentless candlesticks on the dining table
We all know that candles are a foolproof way to add some warmth and comfort to any room, but they’re also a great way to create a relaxed atmosphere around the dinner table. Opt for candle sticks to keep the flame higher so it can light the space better, and go for something scentless so that it doesn’t interfere with the taste of the food.
6. Have a vase of fresh flowers
Fresh flowers add a sense of brightness and finish to any room and are a really nice way to help your space look a little more put together. Go for something neutral like lilies, white roses or tulips, or even a more foliage-forward option like eucalyptus for an expensive and luxurious impression.
7. Pop the bathroom hand towel in the dryer
Washing your hands in the bathroom only to be met with a wet and slightly damp-smelling hand towel can make for a really awful impression - but it’s an easy occurrence when there’s a house full of people. Check in on the bathroom intermittently and if the towel needs freshening up, just throw it in the dryer for five minutes - you could even add in a dryer sheet for a scent boost.
8. Keep a jug of iced water
Having cold, fresh water on hand is an underrated luxury when visiting someone else’s home, so it would make for a really thoughtful gesture to ensure that your guests never have to worry about this. Keep a jug of iced water with a few small glasses next to it so your guests can help themselves. Add some cucumber or lemon for an extra indulgent touch.
9. Pop a fancy hand soap in the bathroom
Expensive hand soaps are definitely not always necessary, but it makes for a really nice touch to treat your guests to something fancy while they’re over. There are so many gorgeous options around at the moment - head to one of your favourite perfume brands to see if they do anything you might like in the bathroom or go for something botanical for a more spa-like impression.
10. Lay dried flowers on the dining table
Elevate your tablescape to make it look like you’ve really made an effort by dotting some dried flowers around the table. For a beautifully rustic, look pop them at random intervals so that it doesn’t look too polished. Maximum impression with minimum effort.
11. Use wine glass tags on your drinks
With extra people in the house and everyone likely having a couple of different drinks on the go at once - whether hard or soft - it can be easy to lose track of whose glass is whose. Order some wine glass tags in advance so everyone can keep their name or initials on their drink.
12. Get some blankets out
Whether you’re inside in the winter time, outside in the summer or you have a more indoor/al-fresco hybrid setup going on, there can always be times during the day when it gets a little chillier than your guests expected. Have a few blankets or shawls on hand so that they can stay warm while continuing to enjoy their time with you.
13. Lay your table in advance
If you’re hosting a dinner party, laying your table in advance is probably one of the most important pieces of prep that you can do. Not only does it make for a nice impression when your guests arrive, but it also takes away an easily overlooked job later on to make for a smoother and less stressful time for the host.
14. Decant your wine
When you’re having company over for dinner or drinks, it’s always a good idea to decant your wine. Not only does it look luxurious and quite professional to serve wine in a decanter, but it helps to aerate it, giving it more depth when you and your guests come to drink it.
15. Keep a nourishing hand lotion in the bathroom
Dry hands are pretty common among most of us, especially during the colder months of the year. Save yourself the hassle of digging out a hand cream when someone asks by keeping a nourishing option in the bathroom for your guests to use at their leisure.
16. Invest in a spare corkscrew
We’ve all been there - you’ve been prepared and bought all of your wine in advance, picked out special bottles that you can’t wait to drink and got all of your best glassware out for your guests, only for the corkscrew to snap when you go to open your bottle. Keep a spare one on hand so that you don’t have the whole party trying to get creative with the toolbox after a few glasses…
17. Have a separate bottle opener
If you’re serving a few different types of drinks, like wine, beer and even soft drinks or alcopops from a bottle, it can be useful to have a separate bottle opener from that of your corkscrew. This is so that those drinking bottled drinks can use it freely without having to worry about the wine drinkers.
18. Prepare as much food as possible beforehand
This might go without saying, but when having company over, especially if it’s specifically for a meal, it’s always helpful to prepare as much food as possible in advance. This way you can optimise the time you spend with your guests and just have a few easy-heating tasks to do when the time comes.
19. Warm your plates
A possibly unnecessarily indulgent step to take, but warming your dinner plates before serving food to your guests can really make an impression. Not only will it help keep the food warmer and make it more enjoyable to eat, but it’s also a callback to more luxury outings that you might be favourably compared to.
20. Chill your wine in advance
If you and your guests are planning on drinking wine that is best to be had chilled, pop your bottles in the fridge at least a few hours before your guests are supposed to arrive. This way they’re chilled and ready to go - and any extra bottles your guests bring can replace them in the fridge when you pop them open.
21. Have some nibbles ready
If you’re having friends over for a meal, chances are, they’ll probably come hungry. Prepare some nibbles to have out on the table for when they arrive, so that they’re not sitting waiting impatiently. Just make sure not to do anything too heavy that might fill them up before they get a chance to move onto the mains.
22. Keep a candle in the bathroom
If you’re going to be having a lot of people using one bathroom, it could be a good idea to keep a candle in there. Not only will it make for a nice impression and create a warm ambience, but it’s also helpful to have for any unwanted smells that might arise.
23. Remember the soft drinks
When we’re having guests over, most of us are usually preoccupied with which wines and beers to get in and what to buy cocktails, but it can be easy to forget that some people might want soft drinks too. Make sure to stock up on options you know your guests like or come up with your own refreshing mocktail to serve instead.
24. Polish your glasses
No matter how nice or expensive our glassware is, if it's speckled with watermarks or dishwasher debris, it can ruin the drinking experience - and make a pretty bad impression. Give any glasses you’re planning to use a quick polish before your guests arrive to keep them shiny throughout the evening.
25. Buy a stain remover
When we have people over and a lot of them are eating and drinking, a spilled plate or glass is never too far away. Make sure to have a quality stain remover on hand so that you can attend to any accidents right away to reduce the likelihood of any long-term damage. And your guests will probably feel relieved too!
26. Make sure there’s a bin - and spare toilet roll - in the guest bathroom
It can often be overlooked, but having a bin in the bathroom is a really useful thing to have, especially if you’re expecting a number of female guests. And don’t forget to keep some spare toilet roll in there too, so that your company doesn’t have to come and bother you for it.
27. Prepare some drink garnishes
A quick and easy way to make a real impression on your guests is to prepare some garnishes for your drinks. Whether it’s mint leaves, berries, olives or even citrus twists, a small garnish can really elevate any drink. It’s an especially nice touch for those guests drinking soft drinks.
28. Don’t forget napkins
An easy miss, but make sure not to forget napkins if you’re having a dinner party. Not everyone needs one, but for those who are used to using them or just like to be especially polished when they’re eating, it’s an indispensable touch that they’re sure to feel thankful for.
29. Keep to a food preparation schedule
If you’re preparing a big meal or cooking for a lot of people, sticking to a food preparation schedule can take a lot of stress out of the experience and make it a more seamless and enjoyable time for both you and your company. Take some time out a day or two before to consider what needs doing and the best time to get things done - and try to add in some leeway in case you fall behind at any point.
30. Prepare your playlists
Playing suitable music for the occasion is an underrated factor that really elevates the whole experience. Music streaming services like Spotify, Youtube and Amazon and Apple Music all have curated playlists that are suited to different occasions and can be really useful to use when having company over. Just make sure to switch it over whenever the vibe of your evening changes.
31. Keep a vacuum handy
With extra people in the house and most probably eating and drinking, not only can it be easy for crumbs and debris to build up on the floor, but it also increases the chance of any dropped and smashed kitchenware. Keep the vacuum handy so you can quickly clear up any spillages or even just do a quick whizz around mid-evening if there’s lots of debris around.
32. Keep some painkillers - and a first aid kit - handy
We of course hope that all of our guests are in tip-top condition and enjoying themselves whenever we have company over, but now and then a headache might pop up - or perhaps something even more serious like a cut or burn. Keep painkillers and a first aid kit handy to make sure that everyone is kept safe and comfortable and your time together doesn’t have to be brought to an end prematurely.
